Members Games

Notes and comments are by Christian Westrap

[Event "Bournemouth League"]
[Site "Highcliffe Chess Club"]
[White "Tyler, A"]
[Black "Ursell, R"]
[Result "0-1"]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 {The Petroff Defence.}
3.Bc4$5 {Sharper than white’s most popular choice, which is (3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4)}
3...Nc6 {Transposing to an Italian Game. More often this position is reached via the move order 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6.} (3...Nxe4$5 {challenges white’s move order and is also interesting})
4. d4 d6 {a bit passive} ( 4...exd4 5.e5 d5$1 {is more common} )
5.Ng5$5 {this makes for very interesting play}
(5.dxe5 dxe5 6.Qxd8+ Nxd8 7.Nc3 {is less interesting but probably a bit better for white.} )
5...d5 6.exd5 Nxd4 7.c3 b5$6
{This move works excellently in the game and both players were doing their utmost to play entertaining chess. The move is sharp but white should get an advantage now.}
8.cxd4 bxc4 9.Qa4+$2
{White errs and allows black to show the point of his set-up} (9.dxe5 Nxd5 10.O-O$14 {gives white an advantage as black’s pawns are weak.} )
9...Qd7$1 10.Qxd7+ Nxd7 11.dxe5 Nxe5
{Black’s pawn are still weak in this line but he has terrific compensation in the form of the 2 bishops and quick development. Richard plays really well from now on in to convert his advantage}
12.O-O Nd3$1 {What a knight!} 13.Nd2$6
{White is in trouble and needs to develop as quickly and actively as he can} (13.Nc3 {looks better, leaving the diagonal open for the bishop.} )
13...Ba6 14.Rd1 Bc5
{This position must have been fun to play for Richard, all his pieces have excellent squares!}
15.Nde4 Bd4 16.Rd2 O-O 17.Nc3 Rfe8 18.Nf3
{I came over to look at the board at around this time and remember thinking, “What a great position for black to play!”}
18...Rab8 19.g3 Bf6 20.Rc2 Ne1 21.Nxe1 Rxe1+ 22.Kg2 Rbe8 23.Rb1 Bc8$1
{A good move, redeveloping the bishop to a better diagonal.}
24.Nb5$2 {losing immediately but white’s in big trouble, anyhow.}
(24.Bd2 Rxb1 25.Nxb1 Bf5 26.Rc1 {is more stubborn, with some saving chances} )
24...Bf5$19 {wins on the spot, the remaining moves were…}
25.Na3 Be4+ {ruthless!} 26.Kh3 Bxc2 27.Nxc2 R1e2 28.Na3 Rxf2 29.Bf4 Ree2 30.Rh1 Rxb2 31.Nxc4 Rxa2 32.Ne5 g5$1 {a nice finish, winning another piece.} 0-1

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A really well played game and a great start to the season for Richard.

A brilliant start to the season for Ken, its not every game you get to sacrifice your queen!

[Event "Southampton League"]
[Site "Eastleigh Chess Club"]
[White "Christian Westrap"]
[Black "David Holmes"]
[Result "1-0"]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5
{ The sharpest move, gaining space in the centre. } ( 3.Nf3 { is also good, transposing to a variation of the English Opening. } )
3...b5$5
{The Benko Gambit. Black offers a pawn to open lines on the queenside for his pieces. Some alternatives are: } ( 3...e6 { which usually leads to The Modern Benoni after } 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 ) ( 3...e5$5 { is an interesting move that was played in a game against me at Southampton Uni the evening before this game was played. That game continued } 4.Nc3 d6 5.e4 Be7 6.Nf3 Nbd7 7.Bd3 Nf8 8.O-O Ng6 { and I managed to win from this, about equal, position } )
4.Qc2
{ I prefer not to accept The Benko Gambit as black usually obtains very easy play for his pieces and long-term compensation for the pawn. I wanted to make my opponent think for himself as early as possible in the game. }
4...d6
( 4...bxc4 5.e4 d6 6.Bxc4 g6 7.Nf3 Bg7 8.O-O O-O { is the most common line here. Black doesn’t have as much activity as in the main lines of the Benko but then he hasn’t sacrificed a pawn either. Chances are about even. } ) ( 4...Na6$5 5.a3 bxc4 6.e4$13 { is interesting. Black’s knight on a6 can redevelop via c7. } )
5.e4 g6 6.Nf3
( 6.cxb5$1 { was probably more accurate, not allowing the capture on c4 } )
6...Nbd7$6
{ This was black’s last opportunity to take on c4. I now accepted the pawn under favourable conditions as I am able to block the a- and b-files and stifle some of black’s counterplay. }
7.cxb5$1
{ Note how white’s queen is well placed on c2 to guard the e4 pawn and how the bishop on f1 attacks the b5 square. White’s position is comfortable and he can hold on to the extra pawn.}
7...a6 8.Nc3
{ White’s plan is to inhibit the activity of black’s pieces on the queenside. To do this I wanted to place a minor piece on b5, supported by pawns on a4 and b3. } (8.bxa6 Bxa6 9.Bxa6 Rxa6 10.O-O$14 { also looks playable but I wanted to develop my pieces first before exchanging on a6 } )
8...Bg7 9.a4 O-O 10.Bf4 Ng4
{ A good knight move, rerouting to the e5 square. } ( 10...axb5 11.Bxb5 Ba6 12.O-O { is good for white, who may also recapture on b5 with the knight. } )
11.Be2 Nge5 12.O-O
(12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.O-O { leads to the same thing. } )
12...Nxf3+ 13.Bxf3 Ne5 14.Be2 h6$6
( 14...f5$5 { was interesting and causes white more problems than in the game. After h6, the move f5 becomes less attractive for black since the b1-h7 diagonal would then become weak. } 15.f3 fxe4 16.fxe4 Ng4 17.Kh1 { is one possible continuation. I would still have been happy with white’s position but black definitely has more counter-play here. } )
15.bxa6$16
{ Finally white captures on a6 and will establish the blockade on b5 with the knight. White is better as black does not have compensation for the pawn. Black’s position is still quite solid though. }
15...Bxa6 16.Bxa6 Rxa6 17.Nb5$1
{ The set-up with the knight on b5 and pawns on a4 and b3 is known to favour white in this opening as it prevents blacks rooks from becoming active on the queenside. This is an important factor in assessing his compensation for the sacrificed pawn. Just as important is the fact that black cannot easily challenge this structure. }
17...Qb6 18.Rac1
( 18.b3 { immediately was also playable since black does not have any effective knight moves to uncover the attack on white’s rook. } )
18...Nd7 19.b3
{ White has realised his plan and stands better. Black does not have sufficient compensation for the pawn. The bishop on g7 looks great but it doesn’t really achieve much apart from the modest accomplishment of taking the a1 square away from white’s rooks. }
19...g5$6
{ This move weakens the kingside unnecessarily. Black should sit tight, he is a pawn down but has no obvious weakness for white to attack. White would, therefore, have to work hard to win the game. I had intended to prepare f4 to make progress but this would carry some risk as well. } ( 19...Rfa8 { is a simple move and doesn’t weaken black’s position. } )
20.Be3 Qa5
( 20...Qb7 21.Qe2 Rfa8 { looks more natural } 22.f4$1 { does look strong though, in all fairness. } )
21.Bd2 Qb6 22.Bc3 Bxc3
( 22...Ne5 { keeps more pieces on and would have been my choice in this position. } )
23.Qxc3 Ra5$2 { In a tough position, black makes an error. My opponent said he was planning an exchange sacrifice on b5 to try and obtain some counter-play on the b-file but white now breaks through. } ( 23...Ne5 { was better, when black is struggling but still in the game. } )
24.Qh3$1 $18
{ attacking the knight and black’s weakness on h6. }
24...Nf6 25.Qxh6 Nxe4$6
{ This loses tactically, although blacks position has already been busted. I was pleased to have seen the following line before playing my queen to h3. Although I could not calculate the line to checkmate I was sure white must be winning as black’s queen and rook on a5 are unable to help out in the defence of his king. }
26.Rfe1 f5 27.Qg6+ Kh8
{ Black is now lost. White just needs to transfer a rook to the h-file. }
28.Rxe4$1
{ This was the pretty sacrifice I had intended although } ( 28.Re3 g4 29.Rcc3$1 Nxc3 30.Rxe7 { and mates, was quicker } ) ( 28.Rc3$1 g4 29.Ree3 { also does the trick. } )
28...fxe4 29.Rc3 g4 30.Qxg4 Rf7
{ Preventing immediate mate but black is still lost since the queen may also use the c8 and e6 squares. }
31.Rh3+ Rh7 32.Qc8+ Kg7 33.Rg3+ Kf7
( 33...Kh6 34.Qh3# ) ( 33...Kf6 34.Qe6# { both lose in one move less than in the game. } )
34.Qe6+ Ke8 35.Rg8#
1-0